It turns out there are an unusual number of decisions to make when considering your child’s dental hygiene, such as whether toothpaste contains fluoride or not, hard or soft bristles, manual or electric toothbrushes. Personally, I was told at some point that I should avoid electric toothbrushes because they are too harsh and can cause my gums to recede. So when I came across a Pikachu electric toothbrush that I thought my son would love, I had my doubts. Do dentists recommend electric toothbrushes for children? Don’t worry. We asked popular pediatric dentists on the internet for their opinions.
Do dentists recommend electric toothbrushes for children?
Children under 3 shouldn’t use electric toothbrushes, says Dr. Anthony Barroud, a dentist who runs the popular children’s YouTube channels Dental Digest and Dr. Brushy. My older boyfriend is a fan of electric toothbrushes, but they’re not necessarily better than traditional toothbrushes.
“I love electric toothbrushes, but they have to be designed for the right individual,” he says. “At the end of the day, a manual toothbrush with proper brushing technique can give you a great teeth clean. Brush each quadrant in small, gentle circles for about 30 seconds, with the bristles diagonal to clean the gum line along the teeth, for a total of two minutes of brushing time, which is more important than manual brushing and electric brushing.”
Baroud says when using an electric toothbrush, you can stop using small circular motions and let the vibrations and vibrations do most of the plaque-fighting. So, if your child has difficulty brushing their teeth thoroughly, an electric brush may be helpful. Electric toothbrushes have another benefit. It’s great for lathering toothpaste and pushing it deep between your teeth, says Baroud.
You should also avoid brushes with hard bristles, regardless of age. “You might think that thicker bristles would lead to a stronger toothbrush that’s more durable and can clean deeper, and that’s actually not true,” says Baroud. “Hard bristles are more abrasive, which can damage your gums more easily and cause your teeth to wear down faster. Soft bristles are sufficient to gently sweep and remove plaque from your teeth.”
The ideal toothbrush (and toothpaste) for kids is one that they’ll enjoy using, he says. His main goal, and the goal of all pediatric dentists, is to prevent cavities in children. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, American children miss an average of more than 34 million hours of school each year due to emergency or unplanned dental care. Children with cavities miss more days of school, Baroud agreed, adding that untreated cavities can also lead to infections that can affect the growth and development of the underlying adult teeth.
“It might be worth an extra dollar or two to buy a fun electric toothbrush or a fun manual toothbrush. The best toothbrush is the one they pick up,” Baroud says.
